The White Sox will hire Miguel Cairo as their new bench coach, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports on Twitter. He had been working in the Yankees organization as minor league infield coordinator.
This’ll represent a new challenge for Cairo, who spent 17 years in the majors during his playing days. He briefly served as interim bench coach with the Reds back in 2013, but has otherwise remained out of a big league uniform since hanging up his spikes.
Cairo will serve as the top lieutenant to newly hired manager Tony La Russa, who’ll face intense scrutiny as he makes his own return to the MLB dugout. No doubt the 46-year-old Cairo will be tasked with helping to connect the 76-year-old La Russa to a generally youthful Chicago roster.
This team will be fine no matter what Jeff Todd’s personal feelings are as he stated in the last paragraph
What?
The White Sox might or might not be fine regardless of chitown311’s personal feelings are as he stated in his last comment.
LOL
ouch
Inform us as to the subjectivity in what Jeff wrote.
chitown311 gets very butt hurt when you talk smack about his team, especially when they continue to botch this entire Tony LaBooza hiring.
Tony LaBooza is hilarious lol. Can’t believe I didn’t think of that myself. This was an insane hire even before the DUI. Watch him bench a player for flipping a bat.
“Intense scrutiny”. Really, cause no players or coaches ever been arrested for a DUI before? They all were scrutinized so intensely that they were suspended 162 games or banned forever from mlb, right? Haters trying to make mountains out of mole hills. I was surprised at the hire and news about DUI but there are way worse things happening by players and managers/coaches (Cano, Hinch, Cora ring a bell lately)?
I mean, him and the Sox are facing pretty intense scrutiny for his DUI so far, so I’d say that assessment is accurate
That and the fact he is nearly 80 and trying to manage a baseball team again. There is that too which could lead to scrutiny maybe?!
Todd wrote that LaRussa would be scrutinized. I do not think he was insulting LaRussa. He was just stating a fact. Any manager who is 76 and has been out of the manager’s role for almost an entire decade is going to be scrutinized. Fact.
I mean, I wrote a very simple, non-judgmental observation. If La Russa isn’t going to face scrutiny, who would?
1) young, super-talented roster w/big veteran additions and big expectations … throw in the Cubs angle for added spice
2) HOF manager coming out of retirement at an older age … after making some comments over the years that lead some to wonder how he’ll mesh
3) said manager was just charged with a DUI! And the organization knew about it before hiring him!
4) assorted sideshow drama that has (eg Stroman comments) and inevitably will continue to occur … we haven’t even yet experienced La Russa engaging with a whole new media world
Don’t forget the video of him being belligerent trying to use the fact that he won three World Series to try to get out of said DUI. Or that it wasn’t his first DUI.
I’m a White Sox fan, and I am perfectly fine with your post. And saying that LaRussa will face intense scrutiny is pretty much just stating a fact (arguably whether that scrutiny will be “intense” is a subjective opinion, but there is not much of an argument that the scrutiny will not, in fact, be intense).
But the last sentence of your post — “No doubt the 46-year-old Cairo will be tasked with helping to connect the 76-year-old La Russa to a generally youthful Chicago roster.” — might be objectionable to some since it assumes without evidence (1) that LaRussa will have trouble connecting with the team’s players and (2) that Cairo will be “tasked” with helping TLR connect.
The statement makes sense to me, but I can see fans of TLR seeing it as an unjustified slam on LaRussa’s ability to connect with players that is based on ageism and/or other biases.
Well said, Oddvark—and if you are in the Chicagoland area it’s not a “will” face intense scrutiny—-that has already happened and is continuing.
—-do agree on the connection aspect of Cairo.
Tony LaRussa is being scrutinized. There’s nothing biased or incorrect about what Jeff wrote.
lol
No Cub news today, Jeff. They have to troll the writers when the Cubs are quiet in the media. I’m pretty sure you won’t lose any sleep over it.
Why don’t we all “intensely scrutinize” how Lester at age of 22 and Rizzo at age of 18 got same cancer (non-hodgkins lymphoma) while in Boston under Theo’s regime! Coincidence, possibly or is it something else?
Coincidence that Theo and Jed traded Rizzo twice? Rizzo went from Boston (Theo) to San Diego (Jed) and then San Diego (Jed) to Chicago (Theo and shortly after Jed).
SOS, DD from whosyourmomma on Theo and Jed pushing PEDs on their players.
Yep Momma we’ve read your posts in the past that both Lester and Rizzo got cancer from the PED usage that somehow was part of Theo’s regime. Why don’t you just cut and past your own scrutiny?
I’m going to guess that maybe 2,000 to 2,500 players have gone through Theo’s regime(s)……you pick the two that had cancer.
Brilliant deduction.
As an Alex Jones fan,I love a good conspiracy!
Theo had two young “stars” he was going to ride for years to come but then cancer struck. Anyone think it’s weird that he traded away and again traded for Rizzo even after having cancer and his tremendous struggles in San Diego? I think every other GM in baseball would have said yeah I don’t want to take that chance.
Anyone ever read article about Schilling being asked to take PEDs late in his career by Theo’s regime (and probably right before Rizzo & Lester developed cancer)? It’s sad I have to ask this but does anyone honestly think Big Papi, Manny Ramirez, Jake Arrieta and probably a dozen others connected to Theo were NOT on PEDs? I know many other players were on juice too but that doesn’t make it right. Let’s scrutinize how MLB only “caught” Cano first when he was very expensive with lowly Mariners and now with Mets toward end of his career.
Momma, your insinuation is and always has been that Theo has a drug store in his office and he randomly only invites stars to the place.
Don’t find it strange at all that he traded for Rizzo again—being from Chicago it’s easy to see that there are attachments to certain players.
I don’t know enough about the MLB process of “catching” players, how they are identified, how they are notified, warnings etc.
To this point, and I may be missing something, but neither Lester nor Rizzo have been identified as PED users.
Heck–why don’t you add Jose Quintana to your list—he was once suspended (in the Yankees organization, I believe) for usage. He ended up under Theo’s umbrella.
Glad that Wednesday is Jeff Todd night.
Ok xxtremecubsguy89, it’s people like you that I was responding to not Jeff Todd. Although his choice of words again “who’ll face intense scrutiny” appear like someone again trying to stir the pot. At any rate, are any of you clowns old enough to remember Jack McKeon? He won the world series with Marlins in 2003 at the age of 72! His team and fans seemed to love him those 3 years when he was 72-74 years old. LaRussa has seemed to age better than McKeon IMO but all these social media commenters and saints have probably added a few years to his life. That and maybe all the scotch, Lol
K.
Ciaro and La Russa back together
Ciaro played under La Russa
I like this hire for White Sox
Don’t know too much about him as a coach but seeing nothing but good things written about him. Seems like a solid baseball hire.
Maybe, just maybe, Reinsdorf put his guy in as manager but he’s still ceding control to Hahn for everything else with a good budget to work with.
It wouldn’t make sense to hire La Russa and then not give the team the resources needed to add impact players to really compete for a championship.
Cairo played for La Russa back in the day.
List of guys who played for La Russa back in the day is as long as my Dick’s Sporting Goods receipt!
True. But I wouldn’t assume that Cairo wasn’t La Russa’s choice, I guess is my point.
@itslonelyatthetrop
Dick’s Sporting Goods allegedly sells good 3 woods and drivers, I believe they also sell good rods for recreational fishing that have long and sturdy flexible poles that won’t break even under enormous strain, such as when you’re trying to reel in a marlin..
CVS…
And their fine selection of shuttlecocks.
Great choice. May it be the start of a long, prosperous coaching career.
Can we finally just admit LaRussa isn’t a Hall of Famer based on the fact he was only hired because he’s best buddies with Reinsdorf?
I bet a lot of managers would win a lot of games with Rickey Henderson and Mark McGwire on their teams too.
So are Phil Jackson, joe torre, Tom Landry , Vince Lombardi , et al, not hall of gamers because they had good players?? I hate nonsensical statements/ arguments such as this
*famers
no
LaRussa revolutionized the way a game is managed. pitching staff in particular. one or two great players does not a champion make. the list of great players with no championships isn’t short. Mike Trout, Tony Gwynn come to mind immediately.
La Russa wa hired because of his relationship with Reinsdorf, that’s true. But the rest of your post is rubbish.
LaRussa is a Hall of Famer. Period.
Ah, yes. All the greatest managers only won games with bums on their rosters. Makes perfect sense.
Bench coach or Designated Coach?
Dude, I have to send my thanks out to the MLBTR staff. I feel blessed to be a member now. I’m honestly happy right now.
I second that notion
I’m just curious when the member article are released, or if it’s just a spur of the moment deal. I have no idea the schedule of any of this lol.
I’m to new to know yet
I’m sure Tony LaRussa ‘cares’ and is having insomnia and restless nights about being scrutinized by people who have never managed an MLB game in their entire lives.
He was way before his time & the Kevin Cash’s of this world with bullpen use and bullpen moves. Yet Cash is lauded for his ‘managerial’ ability, and some want to criticize LaRussa, well just because he’s 76-you know how dare he be given a role-‘he’s too old’.. But of course that is not ageist discrimination & bigotry, is it now. Such a ‘tolerant’ society we live in, only when it suits your bigoted opinions.
This is all about Jerry not having insomnia and restless nights. Who knows? Maybe Tony will bag the piece of metal quickly so he can “retire” again.
I bear Miguel makes a mean Martini.
Is he also a mixologist?
Yes. It sealed the deal for Tony.
At what point can we begin to expect impartial reporting on anything White Sox? Not even a fan of the team… but FFS I’ve never seen this level of unprofessionalism from this site before.
What aspect of this post is biased or unprofessional?
Every single post about the White sox includes some dig at TLR. FFS the guy is a HOF manager. That doesnt happen by accident
Being a HOF Manager doesn’t excuse him from anything.
Except it does. He wasnt hired to be a role model. He was hired to manage baseball games and win.
So you’re saying being a HOF manager allows him to drive while impaired without scrutiny? As a manager alone, never mind the fact a HOF manager he is a role model to the players.
I’m sorry, but do you really think a manager is a “role model” to a bunch of grown men in their 20’s and 30’s? That’s absolutely ridiculous.
I have long harbored anti-White Sox biases, yes. And I’m now unprofessionally unloading on Tony La Russa by saying he’ll be subject to ….
“scrutiny”
Merriam-Webster: a searching study, inquiry, or inspection : EXAMINATION
Do you even disagree?
Politics…politics…politics!
It’s part of being a public figure. It goes with the territory.
Chitown311 is such a loser lol
There’s a good chance that former White Sox manager Rick Renteria’s bench coach ‘Super Joe’ McEwing will also return and be a part of Tony La Russa’s new staff, most likely as his 3B coach. McEwing has experience there as well. He was Robin Ventura’s 3B coach from 2012-2016.
Like new bench coach Miguel Cairo, McEwing was also a utility player in MLB who played for La Russa when he managed the Cardinals. McEwing made his MLB debut under La Russa in September of 1998 and was a lineup regular the following year when he appeared in a career high 152 games (128 starts) split among 7 different positions. The super-sub was traded to the Mets the following spring for veteran reliever Jesse Orosco.
Was hoping AJ could be part of the coaching mix, but perhaps that is seen as 1 too many Alphas with TLR.
This website and its writers are quite flagrant about their belief that an individual may be unable to perform a job solely based upon his age.
For some reason, this belief is celebrated on the website and perpetuated, but how is this any different than espousing a belief that one is unqualified for the job solely based upon the color of their skin, their sex, or their physical disabilities?
The public and the baseball world will be watching TLR for reasons stated over and over and over in this thread. Age is only one facet of the “interest” in TLR. Just one. It is not, as you suggest, THE reason for scrutiny. It is one of several. Saying that it is “flagrant” for this site to note these facts about TLR, especially his reappearance after a long hiatus from the manager’s role, is simply and flagrantly childish and stupid. We can deal with facts here. Why can’t you?
I don’t get the vibe that ageism is an issue on MLBTR when it pertains to non-athletes. LaRussa is 76 and is a decade removed from the dugout. There may be a culture disconnect to the much younger players on the team. Bringing in Cairo (who Larussa managed with the A’s) may help bridge that gap. I’m old enough to remember that without looking it up.
Am I the only one that was surprised that McEwing is no longer the bench coach? Not that I thought McEwing was great, but until I saw this article just now, I didn’t hear a thing about McEwing no longer having that job. The Sox sure seem secretive about their moves: McEwing, Yolmer, and even Katz you barely saw more than a little blip on websites. On MLBTR, the Katz hire was buried at the bottom of one of TLR articles. If I wasn’t paying that close attention, I would’ve missed that hire until weeks or even months later.
As for TLR, with all the bashing he and the Sox are getting over this, I would LFMAO if the Sox ended up winning the WS in ’21, even if it’s in spite of him as manager. The DUI is inexcusable, no question about it, but people act like he’s the first sports figure in history to ever get a DUI. It’s completely understandable to rip him when the story came out, but all people are doing now is beating a dead horse and making lame jokes. Some of you act like what he did was worse than what O.J. did to Nicole.
Does TLR deserve all the bashing? Absolutely. But at some point, it gets old bashing him. And that point has already occurred.
*LMFAO–though I’m sure you figure that out on your own.
They’re both booze hounds that can sniff out a gin joint if there’s one within a hundred miles of them. Play ball!